Elastically tethered ball and target rings

ABSTRACT

Two spaced and aligned rings are provided, the same being carried by an intermediately disposed operator&#39;&#39;s handle which extends at right-angles to the common axis of the aligned rings. Attached to the inner end of the handle is one end of an elastic cord or tether, the other end of the elastic cord being attached to a ball. The diameter of the ball, and the length of the elastic cord are such that the ball may be made to travel through one of the aligned rings and return and pass through the other ring.

United States Patent [1 1 Spransyet al.

[ 1 July 24, 1973 ELASTICALLY TETHERED BALL AND TARGET RINGS [76-] Inventors: John H. Spransy, 1701 W. Club Blvd., Durham, NC. 27705; Brower C. Spransy, 4516 Rynex Dr., Alexandria, Va. 22312 [22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 291,238

[52] US. Cl. 273/98 [51] Int. Cl A63!) 71/02 [58] Field of Search 273/95 A, 97 R, 98

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,612,530 10/1971 Smith ..273/98 3,494,618 2/1970 Kramer ..273/98 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind AttorneyRobert U. Geib, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT Two spaced and aligned rings are provided, the same being carried by an intermediately disposed operator's handle which extends at right-angles to the common axis of the aligned rings. Attached to the inner end of the handle is one end of an elastic cord or tether, the other end of the elastic cord being attached to a ball. The diameter of the ball, and the length of the elastic cord are such that the ball may be made to travel through one of the aligned rings and return and pass through the other ring.

1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure ELASTICALLY TETHERED BALL AND TARGET RINGS The present invention relates to toys and more particularly to those which involve a captive ball and requite a certain amount of dexterity to employ in the manner for which they are intended.

Numerous toys have been proposed which employ captive balls that are attached to an elastic cord or the like. Usually such toys employ resilient balls that may be projected at targets or objects of one kind or another. One version of such devices is the well-known paddle-ball which comprises a wooden or plastic paddle which is connected to a resilient ball through the medium of an elastic cord.

The toy of the present invention is, in a very general sense, similar to paddle-ball in that it, too, employs an elastic cord or tether, but differs therefrom in a number of aspects. First, the tethered ball does not contact a paddle, or racquet, or bat, but instead is made to travel through a ring and return in reverse manner through the agency of the elastic cord. In addition, it travels, in its aforementioned reverse manner to a second and aligned ring where it repeats its performance, and the cycle referred to.

The ultimate goal or purpose of the game is to keep the ball travelling in the manner described for as long as possible.

For these purposes, then, it is not at all necessary that the ball be composed of resilient material, although this may prove to be more expedient.

It is among the objects of .the present invention to provide a toy of the type generally described hereinbefore, which requires considerably more than the usual amount of dexterity to operate and for this reason alone is 'more attractive than usual.

Another object is the provision of a toy having the foregoing characteristics which is very simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent after referring to the following description and annexed drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and wherein:

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter become apparent, the invention comprises the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

The sole FIGURE is a perspective view illustrating the device in its entirety.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designates a handle to be gripped by the user of the toy, the same being provided with an axial extension 2 having a pair of oppositely disposed right angular extensions 3 and 4'. The outer end of each of the oppositely disposed extensions 3 and 4 is provided with an outrigger extension, as shown at 30 and 4a, respectively.

A loop or ring is attached to the outer end of each of the outrigger extensions 3a and 4a, as shown at 5 and 6, respectively; said loops or rings 5 and 6 extending right-angularly with respect to the extensions 3 and 4.

It is essential to the teachings of the invention that the loops or rings 5 and 6 are similar in size and shape and are in axial alignment with respect to each other.

Secured to the outer end of the axial extension 2 on the handle 1, and adjacent its point of connection with the right-angular extensions 3 and 4 is an'elastic cord or tether 7; and the other end of this elastic cord 7 is a playing ball 8 which may or may not be elastic or resilient and which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the diameter of the loops or rings 5 and 6.

As indicated earlier herein, the primary purpose of the toy of the invention is to provide a means whereby a dexterious player may by moving the handle 1 back and forth make the playing ball 8 move first through one of the loops or rings 5 or 6 in such manner that the elastic cord will cause its return to and through the other loop; and repeat: the ultimate object being to keep the playing ball moving through the twin loops or rings a certain number of times, etc.

The frame (which includes all of the elements of the toy except for the elastic cord or tether 7 and ball 8) may be easily and inexpensively made from sheet metal, wire, plastic, wood, etc. or combinations thereof.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

We claim:

1. A toy comprising in combination; a handle having a shaft extending outwardly thereof and coaxial therewith,

said shaft having two ends,

a pair of oppositely disposed attenuated members connected and extending at right angles to the end of the shaft opposite the handle,

a ring carried by and extending at right angles from each of said attenuated members adjacent the outer ends thereof in a direction away from the handle but parallel thereto,

said rings being in axial alignment with respect to each other such that the planes formed by the openings in said rings are parallel to and face each other,

an elastic cord connected to the end of the shaft opposite the handle,

a ball secured to the other end of the cord,

the diameter of each of said rings being larger than the diameter of said ball whereby the ball may be made to travel through one of the aligned rings and return and pass through the other ring.

* III 

1. A toy comprising in combination; a handle having a shaft extending outwardly thereof and coaxial therewith, said shaft having two ends, a pair of oppositely disposed attenuated members connected and extending at right angles to the end of the shaft opposite the handle, a ring carried by and extending at right angles from each of said attenuated members adjacent the outer ends thereof in a direction away from the handle but parallel thereto, said rings being in axial alignment with respect to each other such that the planes formed by the openings in said rings are parallel to and face each other, an elastic cord connected to the end of the shaft opposite the handle, a ball secured to the other end of the cord, the diameter of each of said rings being larger than the diameter of said ball whereby the ball may be made to travel through one of the aligned rings and return and pass through the other ring. 